Lukechapter 23

The Arrival at Calvary — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain

A.Pilate, Herod, and a Robe of Mockeryvv. 1-12

1 Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.” 3 So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle. 9 Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer. 10 Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him. 11 And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.

B.Barabbas Released, Jesus Delivered Upvv. 13-25

13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death. 16 Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 17 18 But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met. 25 As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.

C.Simon Carries the Cross; Weep for Yourselvesvv. 26-31

26 As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. 27 A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’ 30 At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ 31 For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

D.Father, Forgive Them; Today in Paradisevv. 32-43

32 Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus. 33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. 37 “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” 38 Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? 41 We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

E.Darkness, the Rent Veil, and the Last Breathvv. 44-49

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. 45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last. 47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts. 49 But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

F.Joseph of Arimathea and the Watching Womenvv. 50-56

50 Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed. 56 Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Pilate and Herod; Barabbas released.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Pilate and Herod; Barabbas released. Simon of Cyrene. 'Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me.' Crucifixion between two thieves: 'to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Seven last words (Luke preserves three). 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.' Joseph of Arimathea; the tomb; the women.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Luke — Luke overview

A. 1–12 Pilate, Herod, and a Robe of Mockery
B. 13–25 Barabbas Released, Jesus Delivered Up
C. 26–31 Simon Carries the Cross; Weep for Yourselves
D. 32–43 Father, Forgive Them; Today in Paradise
E. 44–49 Darkness, the Rent Veil, and the Last Breath
F. 50–56 Joseph of Arimathea and the Watching Women

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Matthew 2720 verses
- Matthew 27:1When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
- Matthew 27:11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Matthew 27:14But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
- Matthew 27:21“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied.
- Matthew 27:22“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
- Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
- Read Matthew 27: 14 more there →
Mark 1516 verses
- Mark 15:6Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
- Mark 15:14“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- Mark 15:15And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Mark 15:16Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
- Mark 15:21Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
- Mark 15:22They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull.
- Read Mark 15: 10 more there →
Luke 2310 verses
- Luke 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
- Luke 23:5But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
- Luke 23:14and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.
- Luke 23:16Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
- Luke 23:20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
- Luke 23:22A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
- Read Luke 23: 4 more there →
John 197 verses
- John 19:12From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
- John 19:15At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
- John 19:17Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
- John 19:19Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- John 19:30When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
- John 19:31It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
- Read John 19: 1 more there →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Luke 82 verses
- Luke 8:2as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
- Luke 8:52Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”
- Read Luke 8 →
Matthew 142 verses
- Matthew 14:1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus
- Matthew 14:8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
- Read Matthew 14 →
Luke 222 verses
- Luke 22:66At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin and said,
- Luke 22:70So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”
- Read Luke 22 →
John 12 verses
- John 1:43The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”
- John 1:49“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
- Read John 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.